Why Cool Downs Matter?

-Cool Downs-
Ret is a heavy cool down class, this being to provide efficient DPS cool downs are a must. Ret has a few noticeable CDs the first of which is Avenging Wrath, this is your most powerful CD as it gives you a 20% damage increase and allows for HoW to be cast right away. Your next CD is Guardian of the ancient kings (1% per application) this is most efficiently used at the start of the fight and then casting your AW after 10secs (10%STR*20%AW+30%inq) to cause a maximum amount of damage. Zealotry is your next large CD this changes your rotation to Zealotry>Inq>CS>TV>CS>TV>CS>TV. You can also couple your zealotry with your AW and Guardian (10stacks) turning your rotation into Zealotry>Inq>AW>CS>TV>HoW>CS>TV. This is the most powerful burst of dps and I have found the most optimum for maximizing DPS. I have tried spreading out CDs yet this has seemed to work out the best (anyone willing to test this feel free too and post your results.)

The Basics

I will be going through all the parts of retribution starting with of course, the basics. This will get you started on your path to being an amazing ret. -Basics-
Retribution focuses on a FCFS rotation (FCFS stands for first come first serve) with a few exceptions, one of which being Inquisition. This ability will be the largest damage booster for you as long as you can manage it. The hardest part of ret now in cata is keeping your inquisition up (this can be very easily accomplished.) Currently inquisition has a duration of 12 seconds per stack, and at 3 stacks your inq will last 36 seconds. In those 36 seconds your goal will be to build 3 stacks of holy power and then unleashing your Templars Verdict, and this will be the main focus of your dps to build to 3 and unleash. As such your “rotation” will be Inq > CS> TV> Exo> HoW > Judge > HW > Cons (This is more of a priority list than a rotaion) Lets go into the reasoning behind this. Inq will be your highest priority as it gives a 30% holy dmg increase, so at the beginning of an encounter you will start with CS>Filler>Filler>CS>Filler>Filler>CS to build your 3 stacks to use your Inq. Now your CS will be your second priority you want to use this ability as often as posible, the reason for this is mainly it builds a holy power stack, more holy power=more TV=more DPS. Your third priority is TV, the only time TV takes priority over CS is at 3 stacks of holy power (YOU NEVER EVER CAST TV AT LESS THAN 3 STACKS). Your 4th priority is Exo. Exo can be a extreamly hard hiting single target ability and using GoE it causes an extra 20% dmg as a dot(around 800per 2secs).The 5th priority is HoW, HoW is an extremely hard hitting finisher and when the boss is at 20% HoW will take priority over Exo. The 5th priority is judgment, judgment’s damage has been nerfed since previously in wrath and now does barely noticeable damage compared to your other ability’s and the main reason you will use it is for JoTP and to maintain it. Your next ability is Holy Wrath. Holy wrath has gone a change since cata hit previously it was used only for AoE purposes now Holy Wraths damage is divided on how many targets their making it a nice single target ability. Lastly you have cons, cons is used as a filler when all other spells are on CD and is most optimently used at 20-23k mana any less and you risk being oom. This is the absolute basics of ret.

The Way of The Blood Knight

Welcome all my fellow retadins to my blog! I will be disusing the way of the ret pally and how one must play in order to preform exceptional. You can contact me in-game at Gandor-Firetree